Language and Rhetoric The fact is, as we said at the beginning of our discussion, that the aspiring speaker needs no knowledge of the truth about what is right or good... In courts of justice no attention is paid whatever to the truth about such topics; all that matters is plausibility... There are even some occasions when both prosecution and defence should positively suppress the facts in favor of probability, if the facts are improbable. Never mind the truth -- pursue probability through thick and thin in every kind of speech; the whole secret of the art of speaking lies in consistent adherence to this principle. -Socrates
RHETORIC
"might be defined initially as the art that humans use to process all the messages we send and receive. Messages are all around us--in books and magazines, in our conversation, in the news, in music and art, and in the movies we watch. When we produce messages, rhetoric helps us get ideas, emotions, and opinions across to others. When we receive messages, rhetoric helps us understand the ideas, emotions, and opinions of those around us" (Joliffe and Roskelly, from Everyday Use: Rhetoric at Work in Reading and Writing) OR
From the Greek for “orator,” this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and
persuasively.
(read to the end of the paragraph on page 13 of the document)
Rhetoric Quiz #1 Study Guide
Quiz on Basic Rhetorical Terms; multiple choice; identification of logos, ethos, pathos at work Know the following terms and be able to recognize them at work in a text: Rhetoric Rhetor Aristotelian Triad Persona Subject Audience Voice Diction Denotation Connotation Syntax Tone Logos Ethos Pathos Context Aim/Purpose/Intention Genre Exordium Narration Partition Confirmation Refutation Peroration Parallelism Anaphora Antithesis
Examples Logos: "Confucius said, ‘If a state is governed by the principles of reason…” (Thoreau). (This is logos, appeal to reason or logic, because it draws on an "expert source," Confucius, to support the author's claim.)
"However, although private final demand, output, and employment have indeed been growing for more than a year, the pace of that growth recently appears somewhat less vigorous than we expected. Notably, since stabilizing in mid-2009, real household spending in the United States has grown in the range of 1 to 2 percent at annual rates, a relatively modest pace. Households' caution is understandable. Importantly, the painfully slow recovery in the labor market has restrained growth in labor income, raised uncertainty about job security and prospects, and damped confidence. Also, although consumer credit shows some signs of thawing, responses to our Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices suggest that lending standards to households generally remain tight."
The Economic Outlook and Monetary Policy by Ben Bernanke. August 27th, 2010.
Pathos: There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to the war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to them; who, esteeming themselves children of Washington and Franklin, sit down with their hands in their pockets, and say that they know not what to do, and do nothing…” (Thoreau). (This is pathos because the author is trying to appeal to the audience's sense of shame/emotion; he's trying to make them feel guilt. If we paraphrase his statement here, he's basically saying, "There are many people who say they oppose slavery but do absolutely nothing to stop it. There are people out there who claim to be children of our greatest presidents, but these people are all talk and no action.")
"I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed."
I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. August 28th, 1963.
Ethos: “If at this moment, you’re worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise old fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don’t be. I am not the wise old fish” (Wallace).
(This is ethos: the author is trying to establish his credibility and trustworthiness as a speaker. Although it seems he's undercutting his own authority, what this actually does is set up an "I'm just like you" relationship between the speaker and the audience; we're more likely to trust those people who we see like us.)
"I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future."
Democratic Presidential Candidate Acceptance Speech by Barack Obama. August 28th, 2008.
The fact is, as we said at the beginning of our discussion, that the aspiring speaker needs no knowledge of the truth about what is right or good... In courts of justice no attention is paid whatever to the truth about such topics; all that matters is plausibility... There are even some occasions when both prosecution and defence should positively suppress the facts in favor of probability, if the facts are improbable. Never mind the truth -- pursue probability through thick and thin in every kind of speech; the whole secret of the art of speaking lies in consistent adherence to this principle.
-Socrates
RHETORIC
"might be defined initially as the art that humans use to process all the messages we send and receive. Messages are all around us--in books and magazines, in our conversation, in the news, in music and art, and in the movies we watch. When we produce messages, rhetoric helps us get ideas, emotions, and opinions across to others. When we receive messages, rhetoric helps us understand the ideas, emotions, and opinions of those around us" (Joliffe and Roskelly, from Everyday Use: Rhetoric at Work in Reading and Writing)
OR
From the Greek for “orator,” this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and
persuasively.
LINKS
Rhetorical devices (with examples)
Also easy enough to just "google" any term that comes up that you aren't familiar with.
FILES and WORKS
The Position Paper:
Visual Rhetoric Presentations:
Henry David Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience"
David Foster Wallace, Commencement Speech
Dave Barry, "On College"
Rhetoric Quiz #1 Study Guide
Quiz on Basic Rhetorical Terms; multiple choice; identification of logos, ethos, pathos at work
Know the following terms and be able to recognize them at work in a text:
Rhetoric
Rhetor
Aristotelian Triad
Persona
Subject
Audience
Voice
Diction
Denotation
Connotation
Syntax
Tone
Logos
Ethos
Pathos
Context
Aim/Purpose/Intention
Genre
Exordium
Narration
Partition
Confirmation
Refutation
Peroration
Parallelism
Anaphora
Antithesis
Examples
Logos: "Confucius said, ‘If a state is governed by the principles of reason…” (Thoreau). (This is logos, appeal to reason or logic, because it draws on an "expert source," Confucius, to support the author's claim.)
"However, although private final demand, output, and employment have indeed been growing for more than a year, the pace of that growth recently appears somewhat less vigorous than we expected. Notably, since stabilizing in mid-2009, real household spending in the United States has grown in the range of 1 to 2 percent at annual rates, a relatively modest pace. Households' caution is understandable. Importantly, the painfully slow recovery in the labor market has restrained growth in labor income, raised uncertainty about job security and prospects, and damped confidence. Also, although consumer credit shows some signs of thawing, responses to our Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices suggest that lending standards to households generally remain tight."
The Economic Outlook and Monetary Policy by Ben Bernanke. August 27th, 2010.
Pathos: There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to the war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to them; who, esteeming themselves children of Washington and Franklin, sit down with their hands in their pockets, and say that they know not what to do, and do nothing…” (Thoreau). (This is pathos because the author is trying to appeal to the audience's sense of shame/emotion; he's trying to make them feel guilt. If we paraphrase his statement here, he's basically saying, "There are many people who say they oppose slavery but do absolutely nothing to stop it. There are people out there who claim to be children of our greatest presidents, but these people are all talk and no action.")
"I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed."
I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. August 28th, 1963.
Ethos:
“If at this moment, you’re worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise old fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don’t be. I am not the wise old fish” (Wallace).
(This is ethos: the author is trying to establish his credibility and trustworthiness as a speaker. Although it seems he's undercutting his own authority, what this actually does is set up an "I'm just like you" relationship between the speaker and the audience; we're more likely to trust those people who we see like us.)
"I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future."
Democratic Presidential Candidate Acceptance Speech by Barack Obama. August 28th, 2008.
Further information on logos, ethos, and pathos
Logos, Ethos, and Pathos: further explanations and suggestions of how to use each.
Logos, Ethos, and Pathos: definitions and detailed explanations of each